Blockading
by Elizabeth Alyson
Summary: A return to the world of Gone with the Wind. After the events of "Scarlett," Scarlett must rebuild her broken life.
1. Chapter One

Chapter One

Scarlett O'Hara knelt in the dark earth of Ballyhara. The acrid smell of smoke drifted past

her in the air, and the remains of the now deserted village still smoldered slowly. As Scarlett

stared, she began to understand Rhett's fascination with the ruins of Dunmore Landing.

Rhett! Through her pain, Scarlett smiled, her heart jumping to her throat. Rhett was there, 

he loved her, he would make everything better. Scarlett stood up; her chin lifted defiantly, green

eyes sparkling as several fat raindrops struck her face. She spread her arms to the gray sky. In

front of her stretched the blackened remains of the village she had built with her own hands, the

land she had returned to her people. She could rebuild, start over. With Rhett finally there,

anything was possible.

Scarlett's train of thought was broken by the sound of Cat's laughter echoing across the

land. A hundred feet away, Rhett ran with the little girl on his back, and she chortled with

laughter. Her wonderful daughter, who had saved her marriage unwittingly. Katie Colum O'Hara

would never cease to amaze her mother.

Shivering, Scarlett thought of Colum, who her daughter was named for. Never again would

she see the kind face o like her father's, never again would she hear his thick brogue as her

called to her, "Scarlett aroon..." She choked back a sob as she pictured Colum lying still on the

ground, dead. Scarlett had paid a terrible price for this land that she stood on, and she realized

she could never go back to it. She had failed, had lost, she had not fulfilled her duties as the

O'Hara. This overwhelming knowledge of losing a battle did what loss of life could not, and

Scarlett sank to the ground again in despair, clawing at the black earth. The drops of rain

increases in frequency, and Scarlett crumpled forward, her dark hair and dirtied dress spreading

out around her on the ground.

Rhett watched as, in the distance, Scarlett melted to the earth. He raced across the ground,

leaving Cat playing in the grass, a sense of panic rising in his throat as he neared his ex-wife. He

could not lose her now, not after coming across the ocean to find her, he thought in a foolish

panic. As he neared her, he saw her sides convulse with racking sobs, and he sighed in relief,

she was breathing. He knelt down beside the prone form in the grass and wrapped his arms

around her.

Several minutes later, her tears spent, Scarlett looked up at Rhett, her green eyes

reddened, but with a determined glint reflecting through her prismatic tears.

"We have to leave," she announced simply. When Rhett began to protest, she stood up, 

strode away from him, and marched toward the ruins of the Big House, scooping up a squirming

Cat on the way.

Rhett found her in her bedroom, which had been barely touched by flame. He watched in

amazement as Scarlett began to toss her frocks into a valise. Expensive silks mixed with the soft

fabrics of everyday things in a hopeless jumble, buried by a pile of white nightdresses, and a

green silk dressing gown, emerald to match her eyes. She picked up a soft velvet robe, crimson

red, trimmed with fine ermine fur, when she threw to the floor with distaste. It was followed by

multitudes of brown and black skirts, which were soon buried under numerous brightly colored

petticoats. The pile of cloth was garnished with gaily-striped stockings, and Scarlett turned from

the pile, a small wrinkle of distaste forming across her nose, and stomped into Cat's room.

Small garments, all those left untouched by ruinous smoke, were packed into another valise

helter-skelter, and Scarlett deposited these bags in the arms of an open-mouthed Rhett. If she

had stopped to notice the look on his face, she would have laughed, for Rhett's surprise and

confusion was clearly inscribed across his features.

Without a backwards glance, she picked up her child and strode out of the ruins of the

house. When Rhett emerged several moments later, he was struck for the second time that day

by the image of a slight woman, her skirts billowing in the wind, her hair whipping around her in

messy tendrils, a small dark child in her arms. Scarlett had changed, and Rhett did not know her

any longer. All he did know was that he would do whatever he had to in order to ease the

troubled look in Scarlett's eyes, and to know this woman who had come into being since he had

left her, a flirtatious girl chasing after the clouds.


	2. Chapter Two

> Chapter Two
> 
> Rhett had convinced Scarlett to return to America. She had protested, she had nothing

left there, she could not go home to Tara, and she had sold the house in Atlanta. With a sigh, she

had agreed to follow Rhett home to Charleston. Now, on the deck of the steamer that was

headed home-yes, Charleston was now home-Scarlett fought down the fear that was clouding

her vision. It had been a week since Rhett had found her, yet he had yet to make any mention of

remarrying. She had sent a telegram to Fenton, calling off the marriage, and she was worried of

what society would say of this, and how Rhett would react when he found out. She smiled,

imagining Luke's reaction to her short message. She had received an equally short, yet polite

reply, but Scarlett's eyes lit up as she imagined Fenton storming around his lavish study, cursing

her, and himself for letting her slip through his clutches.

> Cat came running up Scarlett, forcing her out of this pleasant reverie. Her daughter's face

was smeared with dirt, and her green eyes danced and sparkled in the bright sunlight."Mother! Rhett showed me how the boat works, and I met the Capitan, and he said that 

we could eat dinner with him one day, and Rhett gave me a doll that he got at the market before

we left and..." Scarlett laughed, both at her usually silent daughter, and at Rhett, who was

already spoiling his daughter terribly. Rhett appeared at the top of the stairs, and Cat ran

towardshim, grabbing his large hand with her small one and pulling him towards Scarlett. Rhett

smiled his half smile, and said wryly to Scarlett, "This child has all of your spunk and then some,

my dear."

> Scarlett laughed, and the three walked along the deck. Scarlett looked out over the

water,enjoying the fresh breeze that lifted the small wisps of hair that framed her face. Rhett

stopped to study her, and he could see how motherhood had softened her face. The fine lines in

between her eyebrows added maturity to her face, and there was a look of serenity on her face.

The flirtatious look had disappeared, and was replaced by a look of gentle assurance, the face

of a lady. Scarlett had always wanted to be a lady, and now she finally looks like one mused

Rhett.

> The ocean breeze tasted salty in her mouth, and Scarlett passed her hand over the soft

hair of her daughter's hair before Cat wriggled away, farther down the deck, where she knelt,

peering out a the ocean. Scarlett could feel Rhett's eyes on her, yet she was afraid to look at

him. Though listed in the ships' books as Mrs. Scarlett O'Hara Butler, she was worried that this

was yet another of Rhett's ways of teasing her; she would not look at him, for if he was looking

at her with that teasing glint in his eyes, she would fall apart.

> Some minutes later, Scarlett, Rhett, and Cat returned to their cabin to freshen up for

dinner. Cat, along with a steward, disappeared into Cat's room, where she would be fed and

tucked in for the night. Scarlett stepped into her room-it was Rhett's too she reminded herself-to

dress for dinner. It had been a while since she had really wanted to dress up, and as she looked

at the dresses in front of her, she realized that she was looking forward to dressing prettily. Erin,

an Irish ladies' maid headed for Boston, helped Scarlett into her petticoats. Scarlett sighed

impatiently, she was unused to wearing a corset, and the tight restriction on her breathing was

tiresome and annoying. Erin lifted up a forest green gown, low cut to show off her creamy white

neck, which Scarlett stepped into. The bodice of the gown clung to Scarlett, emphasizing the

smallness of her waist, and the skirts flowed out softly around her. The trim was gold, and it

sparkled in the lamplight, accentuating the smooth whiteness of her skin. Erin arranged Scarlett's

dark locks into elegant twists and curls piled atop her head, her hair brushed unto it shone and

reflected the light like black glass. Scarlett dismissed Erin, and lightly powdered her face, adding

a touch of rogue to her lips and cheeks. Finally, she slipped her almost invisible white gold chain

around her neck, centering the large diamond and emerald pendant just below her collarbone.

Ready, she swept out of her bedroom, and smiled at Rhett, who was dressed in a dark fitted

suit. He offered his arm to her, and together they swept out of the suite to the dining hall.

> Rhett leaned across the table to peer at the pendant around Scarlett's neck, and when his

eyes looked up to met hers, she could see confusion and a hint of anger swirling in his dark eyes.

Setting her chin defiantly Scarlett challenged him with her eyes to comment, and when he asked

why she had taken the jewels of her engagement ring to use as a necklace, she replied, "Why

Rhett, you didn't honestly expect me to keep the ring of the man who had divorced me, and left

me to pretend to be a widow did you? So I had it made into a necklace, and I do believe that it

is just as good this way as before."

> Rhett laughed in defeat, but he took a serious air as he leaned in once more. Scarlett

trembled inside. This was it she thought; he was going to ask to marry her again. She took a

deep breath and inclined her head towards him expectantly, when he asked softly, "Scarlett, did

you really believe that no one would find out the truth of you, er, situation the entire time you

were in Ireland?"

> Like a pricked balloon, her insides deflated. He was not going to ask her after all. The

rest of the meal passed quietly, as Scarlett ate the ship's fare with downcast eyes. She wanted

the ship to turn around and bring her back to Ireland; she should have never come with Rhett on

the ship, headed back to America and some of her worst memories. She could see her return

now, Rhett would deposit her politely with Miss Eleanor, and disappear to Dunmore Landing,

just as before. She wondered if she had imagined the night in the Tower. No! She shook herself,

she knew Rhett loved her, he was just being difficult, he had to be, he couldn't already be

regretting coming to find her.

> As they walked slowly back towards their suite, the moonlight reflected of the calm

water, and Rhett stopped, Scarlett with him. He looked down at her, and his eyes were

unreadable, Scarlett stood, arrested by his gaze.

> "Scarlett," he murmured softly, "Scarlett, darling, can you ever forgive me for what I have

done?" She nodded mutely, her mind numbing.

> "Scarlett, I want to make it up to you, but I am afraid that is not possible," Her heart

sank.

> "Instead, I want to start over. Scarlett O'Hara, will you marry me?" Scarlett nodded

dumbly, her voice had forgotten how to work, and she accepted his quick kiss without a word,

surprised that her feet carried her the remaining distance to the suite.


	3. Chapter Three

AN: Sorry for the delay.

CHAPTER THREE

On arriving in Boston, Scarlett staunchly refused to set one foot off the boat. "I will not go

nearthose Yankees," she had huffed with a childish stamp of her foot in response to Rhett's

pleading. Finally, he convinced her to take a look at the busy port city, and with many

misgivings, Scarletttook her first footsteps into Yankee territory.

The docks were crowded, and many large men pushed and shoved, loading boats in the

crowded, salty smelling air. When Scarlett reached the streets of town, she made a small gasp of

surprise. There were so many people! And so many young women walking around without

escorts, but rather in groups of giggling friends. The Yankees may have been crude and

unpleasant, Scarlett soon realized, but they dressed so well. She looked hungrily into the many

windows of the stores that lined the streets, where maniqiuens wearing the latest fashions stared

coolly out from behind the glass.

On seeing her expression, Rhett laughed throatily, and took Scarlett's arm. "Come my dear,

youlook like a starving orphan staring into a bakery," he said, and when Scarlett began to

protesthotly, he dragged her into the nearest shop.

* * *

Scarlett emerged from the shop, laughing like a young girl. Tucked beneath Rhett's arm were

parcels containing lush velvets and dainty laces. It had been so long since she had dressed

prettily, and in frocks made of the rich fabrics she loved so well, and Rhett had promised her the

most beautiful dresses that could be made. The streets were still crowded with Yankee men and

women, but now they looked less vulgar to Scarlett's eyes. They were all so well dressed, and

she stored away ideas for her new gowns in her head as she watched the Bostonian women

strolling in the afternoon sun. _Maybe Boston isn't all to bad _she thought to herself as she

boarded the ship once more.

* * *

Cat tugged on Scarlett's dress, her almond shaped eyes staring pleadingly into Scarlett's

piercing green ones. "Mama, please let me go with Rhett on top of the boat!" the little girl

exclaimed. When Scarlett look questioningly towards Rhett, he explained that he wanted to take

Cat to the prow of the boat, where she could see the water in front of her and feel the ocean

breeze on her face. After giving a moments thought, Scarlett agreed, on the condition that she

would be allowed to go as well. It had been so long since she had watched the waves disappear

under the boat while the wind whipped at her hair.

Sweating lightly from the climb up to the prow of the boat, Scarlett was rewarded by the

cool breeze that lifted the tendrils of hair from her face and dried the beads of perspiration that

had formed at the back of her neck. She watched with a smile as Cat scampered around the

deck, flapping her arms like a bird. As she turned to face the water, she gasped at the beauty of

the sun sinking slowly down towards the horizon on her right. Rhett inhaled quickly, not at the

beauty of the sunset, but at the sight of Scarlett's face, which glowed with the soft light of the

setting sun. The light caught the loose pieces of hair around her face, lighting up like a halo, and

as Cat ran over to Scarlett in a rare moment of tenderness, the look on their faces as Scarlett

picked up her small daughter reminded Rhett of the Madonna with child.

* * *

That night, as Rhett held Scarlett in his arms, he whispered her name as she stirred sleepily.

She blinked several times, then turned her large green eyes to his dark ones, and a small smile

slipped across her face.

"Scarlett, my darling, I want Cat to know that I am her father."

Scarlett was instantly alert. "You want WHAT," she hissed.

"Calm down my dear, I'm not trying to steal our daughter from her, I simply wish her to

know that I am her father, and as we are getting remarried soon, I believe she should know,"

Rhett said calmly.

Scarlett's temper blazed, for reasons she could not know, but she answered quietly, "Rhett,

she would not understand, let her just think that you are her stepfather."

"Damn it all Scarlett, I will not have my own flesh and blood treat me as a stranger!" he

stormed before leaving her lying on the bed, slamming the door as he left.


	4. Chapter Four

**A/N**: I am so sorry for the HUGE delay in this, I've been so busy and life is about to get so much more busy...

**Gerber**: I finally got another chapter up!

**Catta**: sorry it's taken so long!

**Kristanna**: well...this is what happens next...

**svufanatic1234**: thanks so much! Heres the next part!

**Queenfan03**: thanks! I had just finished reading Scarlett when I started this, so that's probably why...glad you like it!

**Soña**: I'm sorry you don't like this...but if you want it to go differently, id be glad to read your own fiction...at least I think that's what you were trying to say...you may want to consider spelling things in a recognizable way if you have more suggestions for me, I'd value more feedback!

CHAPTER FOUR

'''The air around Scarlett seemed to buzz as hot tears slipped down her cheeks. How foolish she

had been to think Rhett had changed, how stupid of her to believe that everything could be

better again. Her thoughts whirled, and she bitterly blamed herself for the mess she was in. If

only she had kept her temper, if only she had thought about what to do before this, if only Rhett

weren't so hateful...

* * *

'''Rhett moodily slammed his glass to the polished wooden surface of the bar. The bartender

looked at him with a pitying look, before turning and continuing to wipe the shiny surface of the

bar.

'''Slipping his hands through his dark hair, Rhett stared down at his reflection, which appeared like

a ghost in the gleaming surface beneath him. He had messed up so terribly already. When he had

set out to Ireland, he had sworn he would do everything in his power to get Scarlett back. _I had _

_forgotten to take that temper of hers into account_ he mused, _not to mention the none so _

_small fact that I have a daughter._

'''At this thought, his nostrils flared. True, it may have been too soon to address the issue of his

daughter, and she was rightfully part of him, but what had Scarlett thought, that he would stand

by watching his own child grow up thinking of him as nothing but a kindly stranger her mother

had married?

_'''How can Scarlett expect to raise that child on her own? She barely has the sense to take _

_care of herself_ he smirked bitterly. Yet, so far it seemed that Scarlett had done well in the girl,

who was happy, healthy, and bright. Scarlett herself had changed too. Her shrewd business

mind showed clearly now, and she did not attempt to cover it with the façade of a Southern

belle and she had before. Something in her face had changed, it was hardened and world wise.

Yet, Rhett realized, for all these differences, he loved her more now than ever before. And he

would be a damned fool if he lost her again, he thought in sudden panic. Sitting up abruptly,

tossing a folded bill on the counter, he hurried out of the smoky barroom and headed quickly

back to the suite.

* * *

'''The tears had long dried on Scarlett's face, and in the moonlight, the only disruption to the

smooth expanses of white skin on her face were salty tracks the traced along her cheekbones.

Her breathing was slowing, and her eyelids began to droop slightly, when a crack of light

appeared across the room, widening, and spilling soft light over her form. The silloutte of a man

who had long haunted her dreams filled the doorway, and she blinked, disoriented.

'''Remembering their fight, Scarlett held her breath, preparing herself for the deluge of insults she

knew would pour from Rhett's mouth. Instead, she watched as he slowly stepped inside the

room and closed the door. As the light disappeared, Scarlett could see that this head was bent

over, he had not seen her awake. She closed her eyes quickly and slowed her breathing,

feigning sleep.

'''Rhett's footsteps sounded loud as he stepped across the floor of the silent room. Scarlett's

eyelids fluttered nervously, and she scolded herself mentally, trying to calm her heart. The

footsteps stopped by the side of her bed, and after a moment, Scarlett felt a large hand

smoothing back her hair, which was matted and damp against her cheek.

'''"Scarlett...Scarlett my love...how can I ever get you to forgive me for everything I've done to

you...you've changed since I saw you last, and I feel I don't know you anymore...but Scarlett, I

love you and I wish I could make you believe it..." he whispered brokenly to her seemingly

sleeping form.

'''Bending over, he kissed her forehead tenderly, and the Scarlett heard his footsteps moving

across the floor and then stopping. After minutes that seemed like eternity, Scarlett slowly

opened her eyes, expecting to see Rhett staring at her disconcertingly. Instead, she saw his large

form slumped over in a chair, his head bowed. After several more minutes, she heard him snore

softly, and she realized he was asleep.

'''Her own heart fluttering anxiously, Scarlett stared at the ceiling. A small smile formed on her lips

as she dreamily traced that place on her head where Rhett had kissed so lovingly. _He does care_

she thought rapturously, her mind spinning in a delighted eddy. There were so many possibilities

now that she knew, and she lay abed, wide awake until the first rays of dawn crept through the

window.


End file.
